


Could-Have-Been King

by narvinektrolonum



Category: Gallifrey (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Other, more eldritch horrors, musings on a specific Time War horror, nonbinary Narvin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:28:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24430576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/narvinektrolonum/pseuds/narvinektrolonum
Summary: "All those possibilities sent to the Void and feasted upon by a King with no throne."A drabble exploring some headcanons I have of Narvin, based on the Faction Paradox lore.
Relationships: Narvin/Romana II, only briefly mentioned though - Relationship
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	Could-Have-Been King

For every timeline that has been averted, no matter how narrowly or widely, an entity hidden deep away in the Void grows stronger and more powerful. Narvin has heard whispers in the CIA, seen the files on the Could-Have-Been King. The name makes them freeze with terror, and memories of their Mirraflex cousins proclaiming their destiny to them before the age of 8 flood their mind.

_You will lead Gallifrey to victory in the War to End All Wars_

(they decided to avoid politics at all costs to escape that fate, and ended up on the High Council at the young age of 500-and-something anyway)

They remember all the alternate Gallifreys they've visited with Romana, Leela, and Braxiatel. All the Could-Have-Been Narvins, with eyepatches and ill intent, or lying dead in a puddle of their own blood. Narvins with female bodies, singing in Low Town bars to make ends meet. A singular Narvin who became President on a whim, to one-up a childhood friend and ruled the Universe with an iron fist. All those possibilities sent to the Void and feasted upon by a King with no throne.

The Meanwhiles, his legion, are just as proficient at keeping Narvin up at night. Their mind floats to them as they lie in bed with their bitter foe-turned-lover, their Gallifrey, the former President-turned-Coordinator Romanadvoratrelundar. She flips over in her sleep and nuzzles up against their arm, humming a contented noise...

..meanwhile, the Daleks grow stronger and more technologically advanced on a daily basis  
...meanwhile, Agent Ace McShane is still missing in action as one Irving Braxiatel has disappeared with a few short words to his...friends? Allies?  
...meanwhile, Leela is missing as well, lost in gods know where  
...meanwhile, timelines shatter and fracture and splinter, changing and swirling, opportunities not taken and minds changing  
...meanwhile, a horror grows exponentially in power and the Deputy Coordinator of the Celestial Intervention Agency is dimly aware of a voice whispering in their head:

"You could have been King."

**Author's Note:**

> So, notes on my headcanons:
> 
> Narvin was originally from House Mirraflex, which was created by General Mirraflex at the end of the Vampire Wars as an esoteric martial lodge like the Freemasons, hence the rituals & prophecies. Good ol' General Mirraflex made a prophecy that one of his descendants would be heavily involved in the Time War, and in my headcanon, that's Our Boy Narvin. (source: Book of the War by Lawrence Miles). There's a piece of fanart out there from the early days of the Gallifandom featuring Narvin and Faction Paradox that I can't seem to find at this moment, but it really, really inspired all these headcanons, so Thank You Mysterious Benefactor, if you're out there.
> 
> Time Lords also have Eldritch forms (see my last work) whose natures are unknowable to the individual Time Lord until either a) they acknowledge their Eldritch form and begin to work alongside it (unlikely, given widespread Gallifreyan stuffiness) or b) the Horror remains unacknowledged and grows in power from the vehement denial of the Self. Narvin had theirs ripped awake during CIA mindprobe training and has been trying to keep it under strict control since, which lends Narvin's eventual fate to option b.
> 
> The Could-Have-Been King has always fascinated me, and I really enjoy exploring the dark underbelly of convoluted lore, so here we are.
> 
> Also Narvin is still nonbinary, Just Because I Can.


End file.
